& Organizing The Return of the Family Farm Breakfast

By Amanda Koehler

On April 13, over 300 Land Stewardship Project members, supporters, staff, and elected and appointed public officials gathered in Saint Paul, Minn., for our 17th Family Farm Breakfast and Lobby Day – the largest Family Farm Breakfast in LSP history!

This year, the event was co-hosted by Clean Up the River Environment, Climate Land Leaders, Greener Pastures, the Latino Economic Development Center, the Minnesota Farmers Market Association, and The Good Acre. These are all sustainable agriculture or rural organizations that share our vision for people and the land.

Over a delicious meal featuring products from LSP members’ farms (prepared by the Chowgirls; see the sidebar on page 11), folks built community, interacted with public officials, and listened to a powerful program. Attendees included Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) Commissioner Thom Petersen and members of his staff; Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Commissioner Katrina Kessler and members of her staff; members of the Minnesota House and Senate and their staff; and staff from the offices of U.S. Representatives Angie Craig and Tom Emmer, as well as staffers from the offices of U.S. Senators Tina Smith Amy Klobuchar.

The Family Farm Breakfast program was fully LSP-member run. LSP board chair and livestock farmer Beth Slocum emceed the program and highlighted numerous victories over LSP’s 41-year history. It featured poetry from Michael Chaney of Project Sweetie Pie, testimonials on the importance of reinstating the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Community Board from former MPCA Citizens’ Board member and LSP member Loni Kemp, along with LSP member Adam Muschler. Vegetable farmer Naima Dhore and hog farmer Dayna Burtnesson also talked about the importance of building a farm and food system where there are more people on the land sustainably

Growing Food For Their Communities

After the Family Farm Breakfast, approximately 150 LSP members, supporters, and partners went to the state Capitol complex to advance our legislative agenda for people and the land. Together, we met with approximately 90 state legislators (almost 50% of the Legislature). Our top priorities for the day were:

➔ Restoring community oversight of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency by reinstating the MPCA Citizens’ Board.

➔ Ensuring all Minnesotans have the affordable care they need when and where they need it by creating a MinnesotaCare Public Option and establishing a Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB).

In addition to constituent meetings with state legislators, we held three town hall meetings with key public officials. First, was a town hall with Rep. Kristi Pursell (DFL – Northfield), who is the vice chair of the House Agriculture Committee, and Sen. Rob Kupec (DFL – Moorhead), who is the vice chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee. LSP member and farm-to-school program manager Aimee Haag and vegetable farmer John Fisher-Merritt passionately spoke to the importance of expanding our state’s investment in the Farm-to-School Grant Program, establishing a fulltime Farm-to-School coordinator at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and establishing regional food system coordinator positions across the state. Farmer Lori Cox spoke to the importance of reinstating community oversight of the MPCA. Farmers John Snyder (Preston, Minn.) and Michelle Boyechko (Tamarack, Minn.) spoke to the importance of investing in soil health, as well as supporting our rural communities. We also held an open Q and A session for audience members to directly interact with Rep. Pursell and Sen. Kupec.

Next was a town hall with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. LSP members James Kanne, John Snyder, and Tim Ahrens spoke to Ellison about the need to address consolidation in agriculture. Members Al Kruse and Aleta Borrud, along with LSP board member Paula Williams, spoke about the importance of establishing a Prescription Drug Affordability Board to ensure medications are affordable for all Minnesotans.

➔ Finalizing a robust agriculture budget that delivers for beginning and emerging farmers, small and mid-sized farmers, farmers facing financial stress, and local meat and poultry processors, along with our soil, water, pollinators, and climate.

(See page 7 for a summary of what policies LSP was able to advance before the legislative session adjourned in May.)

The last town hall was with Jason Garms, who is a part of the Government Relations team at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Livestock farmer Terry VanDerPol, along with other LSP members, spoke to issues related to excessive water use by factory farms, human-caused fish kills, water quality, and Indigenous land issues.

We also held a conversation on emerging farmer issues with Julia Wickham of Senator Smith’s Office; MDA Assistant Commissioner Patrice Bailey; and MDA staff members Jenny Heck, Val Gamble, and Lillian Otieno. Emerging farmers participated in this discussion and talked about state and federal policy solutions related to improving land access and providing support. p

LSP policy manager Amanda Koehler is at akoehler@landstewardshipproject.org or 612-400-6355.

Volunteers helped with the Family Farm Breakfast and Lobby Day by doing everything from greeting and registering guests to setting up beforehand and cleaning up afterwards.

Thanks to Those Who Fueled the Breakfast

Thank you to Chowgirls Catering (pictured) for making the Family Farm Breakfast meal possible. Without Chowgirls’ generous donation of time, ingredients, and servingware, this meal would not have been able to come together at an affordable price.

The Food Suppliers

Also, thanks to our ingredient suppliers: Ames Farm ♦ Common Harvest Farm ♦ Ferndale Market ♦ Hidden Stream Farm ♦ Lane Ridge Farm ♦ Niman Ranch ♦ Pastures A’ Plenty ♦ Organic Valley ♦ Pine Tree Orchards ♦ Shepherd Moon Farm ♦ TC Farm ♦ Yker Acres.

After the breakfast, southeastern Minnesota farmer John Snyder spoke at a town hall meeting with Rep. Kristi Pursell and Sen. Rob Kupec, vice chairs of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees, respectively. (

Thanks to Velasquez Family Coffee and Equal Exchange for providing coffee and tea, respectively. Thanks to Baker’s Field Flour & Bread for providing baked goods, and to Seward Community Co-op, Mississippi Market Co-op, and Twin Cities Co-op Partners for providing gift cards to assist with the costs of the Family Farm Breakfast.

The Advertisers

Thank you to those who supported the Family Farm Breakfast by purchasing an advertisement in the program: 100% Campaign ♦ A Couple of Gurus ♦ Albert Lea Seed House ♦ Baker’s Field Flour & Bread ♦ Ben & Jerry’s Catering-South Minneapolis ♦ Clancey’s Meat Market ♦ Co-op Credit Union ♦ CTUL ♦ Dangerous Man Brewing Co. ♦

Food Co-op

Seed Farm ♦